Helpful Information Regarding 3D Printers
Gone are the days that producing a prototype normally took long hours to finish. It can be recalled that creating a prototype typically ends up in a lengthy process and skilled workers painstakingly do the labor hence requires high-cost. The need to create a speedy process to automate the construction of physical objects into sturdy physical models, commonly known as additive manufacturing, brought into existence. The solution is rapid prototyping with faster and easy-to-use 3D printers. The breakthrough of rapid prototyping machines has become an answer for many plastics manufacturers to fabricate quality-produced parts comparatively in minute amounts.
How does a 3D printer work? The technologies used for 3D printing varies throughout the developers of rapid prototyping machines. Nowadays, the principle of inkjet printing system vastly applied in making 3D printers due to its fast turn-around in creating models that closely simulate the appearance, feel and functionality of product prototypes. Though they look like the copiers and printers, we see outside, 3D printer is something completely different because these are not ink-on-paper printers. The process begins from the print head whereby thin droplets of materials deposited onto a surface, one on top of another in a successive manner until a 3D model is completed. The diameter of 3D particles deposited is around 50 to 100 micrometers. Industry leader 3D Systems Corp based in California pioneered this.
The use of 3D printers has been widely used even ordinary consumers. Well-established applications include design visualization, metal casting, prototyping and CAD for mechanical and design engineers’ projects. For architects and civil engineers, creating entire building prototypes made possible for them to detect failures on their designs. Recently, it has jumped off into a new realm in biotechnology to print a 3D model of body parts from cells. It is a strikingly promising application due its capability of producing tiny prototypes thereby does not need to borrow of human parts from someone else. Other applications include making consumer toys, reconstruction of fossils, replicating ancient artifacts among others.
Such development of 3D printing recognized as one of the most tumultuous emergent IT technologies. From the highly expensive printers as it was first introduced, costs of machines are highly dramatic in the sense that it is very affordable due to its falling prices. Evolution of 3D printing has been positively looked forward by many technologists because most of the changes are widely accepted by many consumers. Aside from the big players of 3D print technology such as 3-D Systems, Desktop Factory and Z Corporation, companies actively involved are HP, Canon and Xerox. Other major 2D printer technology providers are still yet to be determined if they want to be engaged in this highly exciting technology.
